Dinner for two. A score settled.

[Author's note: A horror chapter. Jessica's POV.]

"Caprice, have your prepared our dinner tonight, as we discussed?" Jessica asks, adjusting her dress in the mirror.

"Yes Mistress" Caprice says obediently, "I hope you'll enjoy it."

I'm sure that I will Jessica thinks. She's hungry. The fact that her pet, Caprice, now hunts for her only adds to the excitement.

"Virginia will be meeting us there?" Jessica asks.

"Yes, Mistress" Caprice answers.
Excellent Jessica thinks.

"Come zip me up" Jessica instructs, eager to enjoy her night off. (Well, not completely off.) So much planning and logistics she thinks to herself, I thought revolutions were supposed to be fun. Jessica gives herself a final look in the mirror, blowing a kiss at the mirror. She turns to leave her room, Caprice trailing dutifully behind.

Several months have passed since Jessica, Elizabeth and Diana inaugurated the first blood factory, machines christened with the blood of those unfortunate cheerleaders. Since then, they've worked on scaling. Jessica has been a bit of a jet-setter, overseeing the launch of blood factories in Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Ukraine, India and France to feed Elizabeth's growing army of hybrids.

Where the factories went up, mass disappearances followed. Thousands have been captured and drained. Thousands more were being bled. A general uneasiness could be felt among the humans. By the time they truly understand what has happened, it will be too late Jessica thinks. Elizabeth's well-placed network of loyal functionaries kept things running smoothly. Many were hybrids themselves placed in high-levels of government, the press, academia and law-enforcement. Others were enthralled. A surprising number were just greedy humans, avariciously selling out their own to Elizabeth and her family's insatiable hunger. Jessica finds them disgusting. Their race really does deserve a fall from grace Jessica often thinks.

Everyday brings more news of chaos among the humans. Elizabeth had engineered a war between India and Pakistan, turning up the heat just enough to give cover to her operations there, but not so much as to go nuclear. Elizabeth has no desire to irradiate the planet. The war is the perfect backdrop for Elizabeth and Diana's largest factory, pumping 24/7. **** **** in Mexico, racial strife in South Africa, Russian aggression over its former client states -- the flames all fanned by Elizabeth. Elizabeth didn't create these problems Jessica thinks disdainfully, the humans did. Why not exploit them?

Every now and then, the vampires cards are shown a bit too soon. A web video of a reckless hybrid feeding from a human. A particularly punctilious journalist tying together a few too many different threads. A pathetic, drunken human lackey spilling the beans to their mistress. All our dealt with swiftly and mercilessly, but it can all be so tedious. I signed up for some carefree mayhem and feasting, not cleanup duty on some overactive English major with a blog Jessica sometimes complains, but overall she is content. She sees the progress.

A vampiric world order is imminent.

More personally, Jessica has found herself becoming close friends with Virginia, the congresswoman. She has asked Diana about the possibility of making Virginia a full vampire, but Diana assures her it is impossible at this point. Too bad Jessica thinks, she'd be a valuable sister, Jessica laments. Jessica suspects that Diana is jealous of Jessica's closeness with Virginia, but hasn't pressed it.

Caprice, meanwhile, had gone from a resistant bloodslave, to an accepting pet, to what is now a dependable human assistant. Training Caprice gave Jessica faith that and human could be seduced and corrupted. Any human could be made to willingly serve the revolution. Caprice was not an enthusiastic participant, at least not yet Jessica thinks.

Jessica pulls her dark red Porsche up to the address that Caprice have her. She steps out of the car, her heels clicking on the asphalt of the driveway. Caprice exits the passenger door.

"Some thralls and I prepared the scene for you, Mistress. They're ready for you" Caprice says. Just then, Virginia's car pulls into the driveway. Jessica smiles: this will be fun. She kisses Virginia on the cheek as they enter the modest home, Caprice trailing behind.

"Such a boring day of committee hearings" Virginia complains. "I've been fantasizing about this ever since you called last night". Jessica stifles a laugh when she sees Virginia pop in her prosthetic set of fangs.

"This way" Caprice says, leading them through the house. They come to the den. A gagged couple are bound to kitchen chairs, their hands tied behind their backs. They are back to back, naked except for underwear. They look at Jessica, fear plastered over their faces. They are middle aged, but attractive.

"Your dinner, Mistresses. Bon appétit" Caprice says, bowing and exiting the room. First, work Jessica thinks.

"Mr. Groff" Jessica begins, "you've been digging in places that you shouldn't have. Looking into matters that weren't your concern. That can't go unpunished."

Peter Groff was a mid level internal controller at the Pentagon who had gotten a little too good at tying together the usage of various military funding accounts being used to finance Elizabeth's operations in Central America. The pencil pusher had asked one too many questions, and had started whistle-blowing to one too many congresspeople.

"We aren't without mercy, though" Jessica mocks. "Your last moments will be with your lovely wife, Jennie. It's a shame that she has to pay for your curiosity. You both should consider it a great privilege to nourish superior creatures. Your lives were small and meaningless, but in **** you'll serve a greater purpose."

"You'll also serve as a warning to others, and maybe save some lives" Virginia taunts. Nothing would explicitly tie this home invasion to the vampires, but troublesome meddlers would be able to piece things together.

Virginia moves to straddle the wife's lap. She yanks hard on the wife's hair, pulling her head to the side. She pats the woman's neck, smiling, as the woman begins to cry. Virginia bends, biting into the woman's neck, removing the woman's gag as the bites down. The terrified woman begins to scream. The man becomes agitated, and tries to break free of his bonds. Virginia squeezes the woman's breast as she feeds, letting blood cascade down the woman's chest. She withdraws her fake fangs and smiles back at Jessica, her mouth dripping blood.

Jessica is famished. As much as she enjoys watching Virginia enjoy herself, she needs to feed. She straddles the man's lap, her hands on his chest. It's been a while since I drained a man she thinks. She brushes the back of her hand against his cheek, looking into his eyes.

"Opened a few too many doors, Peter. You have only yourself to blame. No one can stop us. Not you, not the press, not the army" Jessica gloats. Taunting him, Jessica begins to almost imperceptibly grind her crotch against his lap as she looks into his eyes. She sees fear, but a hint of arousal. Jessica bends, kissing the man over his gag, her tongue licking his lips. She feels movement, a small but growing lump under her. She narrows her eyes and laughs cruelly.

"Truly pathetic" she spits. They are so weak. He's aroused even at a time like this. They deserve what will happen to them she thinks. In a flash, Jessica sinks her fangs into the man's carotid artery. His blood spurts into her mouth. Bold, hot, delicious. As the man gurgles Jessica drinks his life rapidly. After a few moments, he slumps back in the chair, drained. She reaches over his shoulder, and pulls Virginia in for a kiss. Their tongues dance over each other as their lips brush over one another's.

Jessica breaks the kiss, jerking her head to the side, fangs bared. They've been interrupted.